ITS BEEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND I AM STILL WORKING THRU THIS SPURT. I AM ON WEEK SEVEN IN THE PROGRAM BUT I AM REALLY DOING BAD WITH THE RELAXATION TAPE. EIGHT YEARS AGO I WAS SO RIGHT ON WITH WHAT I HAD TO DO. AND SOME OF THE SECTIONS DONT REALLY APPLY TO ME BUT I AM GOING WEEK TO WEEK. SHOULD I SKIP THE SECTIONS THAT DONT APPLY. LIKE FOR INSTANCE ANGER. I REALLY DONT HAVE ANY ANGER ISSUES AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE. 8 YEARS AGO YES DEFINATELY BUT NOW I FEEL LIKE IM WAISTING A WEEK. ANY IDEAS ABOUT SKIPPING? BUT I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING INTERESTING, I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT A JOURNAL EVEN BEFORE THE ANXIETY AND I HAVE BEEN READING ALOT WHEN THIS ALL STARTED FOR ME. ITS SO INTERESTING TO READ WHAT WAS GOING ON. TALK ABOUT STRESS. ANYWAY, WHEN I READ PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY DONT KNOW WHY THEY FEEL LIKE THIS AND THERE IS NOTHING TO BE STRESSED ABOUT I SAY TAKE SOME INVENTORY THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING GOING ON. THIS GROWTH SPURT I HAVE THIS CONSTANT, SOMETHINGS WRONG FEELING OR THAT FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE AND YOU ARE PUTTING IT OFF. ANYWAY, I AM MAKING PROGRESS AND I JUST WANTED TO JOT ALL THIS DOWN. THANKS FOR LISTENING. LC

Hi LC,
I don't think you should skip any lessons. You may gain something from one of the lessons that you feel is useless to you. I know exactly what you mean by being stuck in a growth spurt. I was stuck in one for about 4 months. Finally I told myself that it was okay if I was unsure about how to handle my particular problem. I would say to myself "I have a problem with this. I am going to give it to God, but I am not going to expect him to change what I am going through or give me an answera as to how to handle it right now." THe problem is still there, but it doesn't bother me that much anymore. I know that God will guide me and help me find out what to do about it.

Hi LC-You are not alone as I am in the middle of a growth spurt as well. Out of the blue tonite came an anxiety attack-I tracked my stressors this last month so I am back to my tapes as well. Take Care and we can do it-Timber

I can relate too. I finished tape 15 last week and I've been doing really well lately. There's even been long time periods when anxiety doesn't cross my mind, (which is more than I could say a month or two ago!. I've been managing my time well and getting things done. I even drove into Vancouver from my town that is over an hour and a half away on the freeway - TWICE! I'm really proud of the progress I've made. But today I began a growth spurt. I was out biking as I always do and enjoying the beautiful weather, when a panic attack hit me. I was not expecting it at all and now I can'd even remember what I may have been telling myself to make it happen. Scary! I feel better now, I talked myself through it and did my 2-4 breathing and made it home again. But now its on my mind and I'm not sure how to completely put it behind me. Now I'm already second guessing my weekend plans because I can't stop thinking "what if....." This is frustrating. But it is kind of comforting to be reminded that I'm not alone. And neither are you!

As far as skipping sessions is concerned, I wouldn't recommend it. It may not apply to your current situation, but it might come in useful in the future for some extra reinforcement, or maybe help you to understand somebody else who may have similar difficulties. Just my thoughts. See Ya

THANKS FOR YOUR STORIES. IT DOES HELP TO KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I AM GETTING SO SICK OF THE WHOLE SITUATION. I WONDER IF LUCINDA EVER HAD THESE KINDS OF GROWTH SPURTS, YOU KNOW THE KIND THAT SEEM TO BE MAKING YOU START ALL OVER. I KNOW IN MY LIFE WHAT HAS TRIGGERED ALL OF THIS, IT IS VERY CLEAR. I THINK I AM GETTING OBSESSED WITH THIS WEBSITE. I COME ON AND READ EVERYONES STORIES AND I WONDER WHAT WAS THEIR TRIGGER. YOU SAY YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU WERE THINKING OF WHEN YOU WERE BIKING. I BELIEVE SOMETIMES WITH ME AT LEAST, I MAY NOT BE THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING UPSETTING AT THAT MOMENT BUT IN MY SUBCONCIENCE THERE IS DEFINATLEY SOMETHING BOTHERING ME. 10 YEARS AGO BEFORE I FOUND THE PROGRAM, MY SECOND DAUGHTER WAS AROUND ONE AND I WAS IN THE THICK OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. I THOUGHT IT WAS BABY BLUES, BUT WHEN I LOOK BACK ON MY DIARY AT THAT TIME, OUR MONEY SITUATION WAS HORRIBLE. IT WAS A VERY STRESSFULL TIME. SO I WENT ON THE ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND ABOUT A MONTH LATER WAS FEELING BETTER, BUT WE ALSO FILED BANKRUPTCY AND THE BILL COLLECTORS HAD STOPPED CALLING. SO NOW I ASK MYSELF, WAS IT THE DRUGS OR THE RELIEF OF OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THE SUBCONCIENCE? I READ SHAD HELMSTETTERS BOOK, WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU TALK TO YOURSELF. OF COURSE I HAVENT APPLIED ANYTHING FROM IT. ANOTHER PROBLEM I AM HAVING, NOT DOING WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO WITH ALL THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE. ANYWAY THE BOOK IS SO INTERESTING AND I FEEL IT WOULD HELP WITH MY SUBCONCIOUS THOUGHTS. I ALSO WAS READING THE OTHER NIGHT ABOUT MEDITATION AND HOW THEY TESTED MONKS BRAINS THAT MEDITATED ALL THE TIME AND THEIR BRAIN WAVES WERE VERY DIFFERENT VERY CALM. I AM NOT A DOCTOR SO I DONT KNOW HOW TO WORD IT CORRECTLY BUT IT WAS ALSO INTERESTING. THEY WERE SAYING HOW PEOPLE WHO MEDITATE CAN HOLD ON TO THAT PEACEFUL STATE FOR YEARS. WHEN I WENT THRU THE PROGRAM 10 YEARS AGO, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE THING THAT HELPED ME RECOVER THE MOST WAS THE RELAXATION TAPE AND THE TAPE I MADE WITH THE POSSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS. I LISTENED TO IT EVERYDAY. MY RECOVERY LASTED 8 YEARS. I HAD ANXIETY ALONG THE WAY BUT IT WAS VERY MANAGEABLE. I HAVE BEEN SOO HAPPY FOR SO LONG. NOW THIS. ITS FUNNY BECAUSE MY FIRST GROWTH SPURT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO STARTED WHEN OUR FINANCES STARTED GOING SOUTH AGAIN. WHAT A COINCIDENCE. MAYBE I JUST ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS TO MYSELF JUST WRITTING THIS TO YOU. ANYWAY, THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND HERES HOPING WE GET OUT OF THIS GROWTH SPURT SOON. KEEP ME INFORMED I AM ALWAYS LOOKING TO HEAR PEOPLE ARE BETTER. LC

LC,
You mentioned that you really liked the relaxation tape. There is a new CD out - I saw it in the Less Stress Press & just ordered it - called Relaxation Meledy. It's WONDERFUL! The first 2 are Lucinda (1 similar to the program & 1 different) & there is a 3rd one by Carolyn. They are all under 20 minutes. Once I finished the program, I started slacking off with listening to the relaxation tape I was amazed how I anxious & depressed I started feeling. I started thinking I was back to square one. But I've started back the program & the relaxation and it's made a difference. I realize that these skills will always be there for me even though sometimes I feel like I did before the program...I'm not the same person...I've changed and will continue to learn and grow. Good luck.

Ally

ALLY, THANKS SO MUCH I AM GOING TO ORDER THEM RIGHT AWAY. THIS IS WHY I CONTINUE TO CHECK THIS SITE, FOR HELP AND POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. HOPE YOU ARE FEELING BETTER AND I HOPE ME TOO SOON. THANKS AGAIN, LC

Meditating isn't always easy to do. Especially for anxiety prone people like us! A good excercise is to light a candle and sit in front of it. Focus your sight and complete attention on the candle while doing your 2-4 breathing. Everytime your mind tries to wander, go back to the candle. You can have the relaxation tape in the background. Once you feel more relaxed try and think of something that comforts you. I use the river near my home. I know that it is very powerful, but fluid. It has obstacles, but it finds ways to move with them so it never stops flowing. I try to imagine having those qualities mentally and I picture myself as a calm, relaxed, fluid person. It really helps. Now when I have stressful moments I can let the image of the river enter my mind and I feel comforted.

It feels a little weird to try at first, if you haven't done any meditating before but it's really a nice way to calm down and feel centred.

just an idea!

LC, I hope you are feeling better. Growth spurts are challenging, thats for sure!

HI! THANKS, ACTUALLY I AM FEELING BETTER THAN WHEN I FIRST POSTED THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IM WALKING A TIGHT ROPE, ONE FALSE MOVE AND DOWN I GO. SO I REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON MY SKILLS AND RELAXATION TO GET ME TO FEEL LIKE I AM ON FIRM SOLID GROUND. I WILL TRY THE MEDITATION WITH THE CANDLE IT SOUND GOOD. THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT DAY! LC

I too finished the program a couple years ago...went through it again with a coach..now i am going through again myself. Since January I have been in a "growth spurt" and I can't get out of it. I've even gone back to doctors with my symptoms...still anxiety!!! I feel like this is a viscious circle. I really want to get better...I have two children who need their mother and when I am like this ..I feel useless to them. I am back at the point that I don't want to go anywhere...fear of the feelings...dizzy...etc...
I guess one of my fears is that my kids are now old enough that they don't sit in strollers and I feel out of balance without holding on to the stroller...like i will topple over if I don't have that to hold on to.
And of course my mind is always on my health...every little pain...etc..I have myself with some fatefull disease!!
Please if someone out there reads this...Help!!

kasey88, how did you do after you completed the program two years ago? when i went thru it 10 years ago, it changed my life, i did it completely and thoroughly. this time im really slacking. maybe you need to double up on the relaxation and positive self talk. i have been reading alot about the brain and how it all works. i really believe we can reprogram our mind just like a computer. we just have to try. you need to think about whats going on in your life and what you may be avoiding thinking about. i know with me my kids were little when i bought the program, four and six. it was easy because i didnt work and they really didnt have much going on in their precious little lives. dance class but thats about it. their school was around the corner and so were their friends. looking back life was very good and peacefull when i completed the program. this time around they are 14 and 16. what a different world i am in. i work now, i clean houses so i drive alot. its hard sometimes cause i just start obsessing and scarring myself with what ifs, what if i panic and i dont make it home in time to pick them up from school. blah blah blah! its been hard for me to see them grow up and not have thos babies around anymore. anyway, i am rambling but my point is there is alot going on around me and maybe it just needs to be put into perspective. in your case too! you are ok and have been a good mom! let that be your strength. sometimes i talk to myself and tell myself all the good things about me. out loud like im telling someone else. when you do that it effects you as tho someone else is saying it to you. make a tape telling yourself how wonderfull you are and listen to it as much as possible. it will get into your head and you will start to feel better! try it, its worth a little try. hang in there, if your kids are little then they dont even know whats going on, make every day fun and loving for them and as you get better they will be healthy and happy too. take care, we are all going to be ok. lc

Thanks L.C
My kids are 4 and 7...And I sometimes feel I don't do enough for them...for instance..my 4 year old was invited to a birthday party lastweek..and I told the other mom we couldn't make it...blah blah blah...when in actuallity we could have...but I knew I would have to sit there and socialize with these people..and "what if" I felt a panic attack coming on...etc.
I find myself avoiding everything...
After I went through the program the first time...I felt like I didn't "get it"..so I got a coach and went through again..felt good for about a year...then bang...back in January I felt like I was back at the beginning all over agian...I find my self obsessing about my Health big time...
It is a scary thing...I just want peace in my life!!

KASEY88, YOU SAID THAT YOU FELT GOOD FOR A YEAR. THAT MEANS YOU HAVE DONE IT BEFORE. YOU CAN AND WILL GET THERE AGAIN. NEXT TIME THE KIDS HAVE A PARTY GO AND TELL YOURSELF OK IF I START TO FEEL BAD I WILL TELL THEM I HAVE A HEADACHE AND LEAVE. SIMPLE AS THAT. THEN YOU CHILD WILL GET TO ENJOY THEMSELF A BIT AND YOU DONT HAVE THE GUILTS. BABY STEPS, IT ALWAYS HELPS ME TO KNOW I HAVE AN OUT ANYWHERE I GO. HANG IN THERE AND DO THE PROGRAM IT WILL WORK AGAIN. TAKE CARE. LC

Thanks LC
I am just in a bad spot right now...
I just took the cat to the vet and had a panic attack in the waiting room...now I just feel tired and I have a headache. But it is when all this happens, I obsess and think it is something other than anxiety...and the doctors just arent finding it. Crazy...yes...I know. And being in public places makes me nervous...my hands shake and I feel faint. I just can't wait until I am recovered!!!